Love for the little guys

[CDEP]

In addition to whichever two main knives I carry (ex: PM2/Shaman) I always have either a DFly K390 or a Lil' Native (now almost always the Wharnie) set up for left hand carry in my left front pocket. On an average day those LBKs do most of my cutting around the house. At home it is usually the DFly, while the Lil Native Wharnie gets more carry away from the house.

My wife keeps a VG10 DFly in the kitchen for packages and odd jobs.

If I worked in an office and wanted a very discrete blade I'd carry my Chicago, which was the first small Spydie I bought. It looks cute but that's an angry LBK once you start cutting.

The Chaparral is incredible, but I don't consider it a LBK. It is a contender for perfect EDC if you need a sub 3" blade as I do, but for me the Native 5 is perfection. When away from home it is almost always N5 or Para 3, with Lil' Temp 3 LW replacing my Shaman.

[Coastal]

...if people actually gave them a try and were honest with themselves...MOST people could get away with a smaller knife being their edc. Nobody really needs some honking knife to open a box or cut strawberries.

I absolutely believe this, but thankfully it's a free country and I can carry the knives I prefer, not just what I can get away with. My hands are nowhere near the size of Yab's and Vivi's, yet I find small knives harder to manipulate and not as comfortable in hand compared to large ones. The Stretch 2 XL is my sweet spot.

To answer the questions, the Chaparral is far and away my favorite small knife. I use it mainly for opening packaging and breaking down boxes.

[JoviAl]

I realise I wasn’t very specific about how little is ‘little’ in my OP, as it is very subjective to the user’s physiology and what they’re used to. My most commonly used knives are a Jumpmaster 2 and a 14 inch machete (all day Monday to Friday at work), so I would likely fall into the Vivi/Yab end of the spectrum for what I perceive to be ‘little’ vs full sized or big. For me anything with less that about 3 inches of metal sticking out of the handle (choil or not) feels ‘little’, 3.5-5 inches ‘full sized’ and 6+ inches ‘big’. The UKPK was for a very long time my favourite ‘little’ knife, but the Chaparral LW SE has relegated it to the Knife Pouch Of Intermittent Use.

Reading through all the replies on here so far, what jumps out at me more than anything is that we’re a diverse bunch with a wide range of use cases, preferences and practical applications. I’m glad there is something for everyone.

[SpeedHoles]

I’ve been experimenting lately with a variety of Spyderco’s smaller offerings (Chaparral and smaller) and it got me to wondering what other people’s experiences and preferences might be.

For me, the Chaparral LW SE is about as close to perfect as an EDC knife can be, but I also really like the ultralight D’fly 2 SE Salt and the Ambitious SE S35VN for specific tasks (running and as a work backup respectively).

I’d be interested to hear:
- what are your thoughts on small knives generally?
- which small knife you rate most highly from Spyderco’s current lineup?
- what do you use it for?

I basically only do LBKs now. My largest Spydercos are Chapparels and both LW, PE and SE. I mostly carry a Leaf Manbug with a lanyard making it a four finger grip. I love that knife and use it for everything and most importantly don’t have a clip scratching my cars or ruining my look in slacks and tucked in shirts. I also am a DFly fan and was carrying my Wharn clip removed and a lanyard but lost it at a high school wrestling match. Fell out of my pocket and the DFly weight is enough that it fell out before. Manbug does not. Lastly but bestly is the H1 Ladybug Hawkbill. I have had several and had to put one in the trash at The Masters for entry. I run with my wife on the weekends and take this knife. I take it in my swim trucks at every pool or US beach I go to. My current LBHB had a crappy grind and tip but it still cuts like a boss. If I ever carry two knives, the larger is a PE and the smaller is the LBHB. I have mentioned here before that I used a LBHB to open a box in front of two coworkers from out of town. One said to the other “did you see that?” And the other said “that knife is diabolical”. Not made up. I also love the smaller knives because it makes me carry my firearm and I can move the Manbug around to a back pocket or even sock if needed. I am here for the Little Big Knives. Wish I had a Lava

I was actually going to say, just do a search back for other threads regarding LBKs and you'd find a ton of cool posts regarding them and how awesome the Spyderco design and selection of them really is!
And not just for "small hands". Also for small places or small stowaway.
I usually like to carry a complimentary pair, larger & smaller to perform different tasks if I come across anything.

[spydergoat]

I always keep a dragonfly 2 around my desk for any tasks which may come up. It’s one of my favorites aesthetically but too small for my EDC needs. Also it’s my wife’s favorite spyderco.

[Jeb]

Now this may or may not be small for you guys here, but to me this new Smock I just bought today is the classic perfect example of a small knife that just screams to be made XL...

It's all about each of our perception of small I guess. Spyderco has several of these knives they have made then did make the XL version, with full 14mm thumbhole in the blade and big enough grip for your hand to hold it. I know many of you live where your limited on blade size, that is pitiful too...

I do have more than a few of these little Munchkin's and while I think they are amazing how well they are made, I just don't carry them everyday.

I do have the Carbon Fiber DogTag Spyderco and I do carry it everyday, this thing is awesome with open and closed bearing detents, what's not to like about it.

The other really small knives I have enjoyed getting them and checking them all out and gifting them to different people that don't carry a knife at all, and or guys who has never heard of Spyderco lol.

I tell everyone that if they can make this nice of small knife, just thing what they do with the full grown ones lol...

Knife to knife and features against features this little Carbon Fiber DogTag will size right up with the best of them. So you guys in the hunt for a small knife, might check one of these out.

[zuludelta]

I’d be interested to hear:
- what are your thoughts on small knives generally?

I like the notion of carrying the smallest folding knife that will still satisfactorily measure up to the most common cutting tasks I expect to encounter for the day. I carry one of Spyderco's sub-2.5 inch Little Big Knives (LBK) like the Dragonfly 2, Lil' Native, MicroJimbo, Reinhold Rhino, or even the Ladybug as my only knife in situations where I am willing to forgo extended reach & more secure handling for a smaller form factor & lighter weight, such as when going trail running. I will also sometimes choose to carry a Little Big Knife when attending social gatherings or work functions where a larger knife might attract unwanted scrutiny.

In practice, however, I prefer to err on the side of "just in case". Outside of those special use cases outlined above, I almost always carry something with a bit more blade length and—perhaps even more importantly—a more substantial handle. The smallest folders I normally carry have blades between 2.75 inches & just below 3 inches such as the Delica 4, Native 5, Lil' Temperance 3 Lightweight, Para 3, Chaparral & Persistence.

I'd also like to make special mention of the Karahawk & the Ikuchi, two knives I regularly carry that occupy a sort of gray area between small & midsize. The Karahawk has a sub-2.5 inch hawkbill blade, but it has a relatively outsized handle that makes it handle like a bigger knife (even more so than the LBKs) & the Ikuchi has a 3.26 inch blade but it is so very slim in its profile that I will sometimes carry it in situations where I would normally carry an LBK.

- which small knife you rate most highly from Spyderco’s current lineup?

My favourite of Spyderco's actual LBKs is the Dragonfly 2. The thumb ramp, finger choil, & curves of the handle make it feel more hand-filling than it actually is, and I find it more comfortable to use for repeated & extended cutting tasks than some bigger folders. And it is so ridiculously light at 1.2 ounces—less than half the weight of the Lil' Native or the MicroJimbo—that I can clip it to the waistband of my running shorts & not have to worry about it bouncing up & down even when running through especially uneven terrain.

The steel selection for the regular production variants of the Dragonfly 2 also offers something for just about every preference & purpose, much more varied than any other small knife made by Spyderco (or any other company, for that matter): there's VG10, S30V (in the Living Beyond Breast Cancer pink-handled models), H2, K390, and soon, SPY27. And there are the numerous steels in Sprints, dealer exclusives, and discontinued models (my favourites being the discontinued BRG Dragonfly 2 in ZDP-189 & the recent PD#1 Sprint)

- what do you use it for?

I use my LBKs for the same workplace & convenience cutting tasks as my regularly-sized folders, just in situations where small size & light weight are especially important.

[Fine Swine]

I actually prefer small knives. I absolutely love my Techno 2, and am surprisingly fond of my Emerson Dragonfly, despite the FRN scales (I generally hate FRN). I also greatly regret selling my G10 Manbug. I’d love to see that, and the micarta Jester, be rereleased one day.

[Doc Dan]

Even though I have thick hands, I really like the Dragonfly. We have something like ten around the house. It is a light weight pocket masterpiece.

I also carry a Ladybug or Manbug in my pajama pocket.

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

Yup, I like the little guys

[Jeb]

SaltyC,

Your just teasing us, you really don't like the little Munchkin's lol...

All kidding aside that is quite the collection all spread out on what looks like a dock walkway. Really nice collection and a great pic!

[Aladinsane]

I like "smaller" knives, right around 3" blade, in general. However, my "small" knife is a Burgundy sprint run Meerkat. I really like the feel of this knife in hand, and can use it for most tasks. The small blade necessitates some creative cutting ideas, but still gets the job done! I might add a Man Bug leaf SE this year as another "small" knife, otherwise I will be getting a Chaparral SE as my next "small" knife. So, yeah small knives are cool!

[SaltyCaribbeanDfly]

SaltyC,

Your just teasing us, you really don't like the little Munchkin's lol...

All kidding aside that is quite the collection all spread out on what looks like a dock walkway. Really nice collection and a great pic!

Thanks @Jeb

[PeaceInOurTime]

My preferences are always slowly changing, but for now I prefer "small" knives for my general everyday cutting, though I almost always have a longer knife paired with it. They're more nimble and easier to control for precise cuts. Opening packages, boxes, cutting rope, meals, etc., a small blade can handle all of my everyday cutting just fine. The only occasions when I find a longer blade and handle preferable are emergency situations and prepping food.

The SE ARK (just under 2" edge length) has been my primary user for the past four and a half years, but the ideal edge length I've found for my usage is roughly the length of my pinky finger, 2.5". That generally gives me plenty of edge length to span across most items and is short enough to use my index finger to choke up and gauge the depth of the cut when needed. The Native 5 is a great fit for my needs, but I've been on a fixed blade kick for quite a while.

[40mm]

If I’m being honest, anything beyond my old Dragonfly is unnecessary. Having said that, the knife thing is a mini hobby that flares and subsides as time goes on. I did just buy a few bigger knives to play around with, (Pac Salt 1 and Salt 1) but again if forced to keep one it would be the D’fly Salt Se.

[elena86]

If I’m being honest, anything beyond my old Dragonfly is unnecessary. Having said that, the knife thing is a mini hobby that flares and subsides as time goes on. I did just buy a few bigger knives to play around with, (Pac Salt 1 and Salt 1) but again if forced to keep one it would be the D’fly Salt Se.

Now, that blade has seen some use and sharpening. It deserves to be retired. The Dfly2 model is the perfect LBK and Sal’s best design ever IMO. You are right, in real life a Dfly2 blade could cover most of the mundane cutting chores of a “civilian”.I always carry a ladyhawk attached to my car keys and I often carry a K390 Dfly2 or the SPY27 Dfly2 as my main blade. Never felt under knifed so to speak. When I travel abroad I often bring my SE Dfly2 salt with me. It’s a tough little sucker and it packs amazing cutting power. Below is my all time fav LBKs combo

[Blerv]

I adore the Dragonfly Hawkbill. Of all my LBK’s that one cuts well above its weight class while being so comfortable to carry.

I have a fond place in my heart for the Lava. I wish it had a more acute tip (and maybe half an inch longer blade) but that’s a handle that’s a joy to hold.

[Fastidiotus]

Try as I might I never could get on with the DFly. Ended up snagging a pink handle off eBay from someone who I assume was a spydernox maker. Swapped my vg10 wharncliffe blade over and gave it to the GF as a purse knife.

I find my edc knives keep getting smaller. Are my tasks smaller than when I was younger, am I more skilled at making due with less after years of carry(not likely). The Endura is still my if I could only have one knife for life, but I carry them much less frequently now. I like the Urban and Squeak, but the UKPK stops me from carrying them. For me the Cat and the Lil Native are my go to sub 3" knives. Both are built like tanks. They aren't cardboard queens but both give you a hand filling handle while still fitting in a 5th pocket. The Cat is just a Lil Sage 1 but it doesn't seem to have any cheerleaders. I keep waiting to see it on this years disco'd list. The prices have crept up recently, but it's still a phenomenal little knife.

After spending some time with a Manbug hap40 recently, it's going to be my collecting muse for 2026. Just a little bit taller of a handle than a Ladybug to have a more confidence inspiring grip really makes a difference. It's not a knife I'd think to bring to work, but for around the house on a day off it handles 90-95% of the "oh I need a knife" tasks. Maybe for the new year I'll buy a beater Manbug and try to do a 30 day work challenge with it since carrying one affects nothing. If it can't handle a task I'll still have my regular Delica TiCN CE like I always would, which itself is coming up on 2 years of everyday work carry after a 30 day challenge gone Stockholm syndrome.

[ChrisinHove]

My perception is that it’s more difficult to design a good little knife than a good large knife as slight variations in size and shape make disproportionately large differences in functionality.
You may also be more likely to have it on you when you need it.

My favourites are the Manbug Wharnie SE, Dragonfly wharnie, and MicroJimbo, although legal necessity often places a Squeak or Urban in my pocket. The Dyad Jr is still in its honeymoon phase but also looking like a contender.

[sv4]

This is one of my favorite “little guys”